The possibility of cheap 24-hour solar power hitting Dubai means it may dominate the region’s power markets sooner than expected.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) announced bids on Monday for its fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park, a 200-megawatt concentrated solar power (CSP) plant. Not only did three of the four bids come in at record lows for this technology starting at 9.45 US cents per kilowatt hour, but the technology has the ability to store solar power for 15 hours.
The current regional record for this technology is in Morocco at 15.67 cents per kWh with seven hours of storage. But the kicker is that the UAE does not even possess the best sun for CSP technology as the country contends with higher amounts of humidity, haze and dust.
Jonathan Walters, an energy economist and a former World Bank director, said that countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia were likely to get even cheaper rates, based on their solar irradiation.
Unlike the solar photovoltaic (PV) panel technology in the Dewa park’s earlier phases, CSP relies more on direct sun beams hitting its curved mirrors to have a significant and economical output. For instance, Dubai’s available irradiation ranges from 1,856 to 2,029 a kilowatt hour per square metre a year, as opposed to the world’s current cheapest price for CSP at Morocco’s Noor 3 at 2,635 kWh per sq metre annually.
“The real story here is potentially revolutionary – CSP may now outcompete natural gas in many countries,” said Mr Walters, adding that the cheap thermal storage can even propel CSP technology to cover the baseload.
This means that solar, in the near to medium term, could economically power the electricity need to satisfy minimum demand, which is usually done by fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas.
“Let’s see which country takes advantage of this next,” Mr Walters said.
This tender marks a before and after for the CSP industry, said Belen Gallego, chief executive of Ata Insights, a Madrid-based consultancy. “The industry has been working on a series of incredible technology innovation. It has learnt from the past and is ready to take the challenge forward,” she said.
The Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Association issued a report in 2010 that said solar tower power plants, which will be built in Dubai, can have storage from six to 15 hours at a cost ranging from 17 to 29 cents per kWh.
Ms Gallego said that the short learning curve and deployment of CSP technology was remarkable. She said: “Whether what you need is 24/7 power or peakers (such as PV plants) for specific time slots, there will not be a more competitive renewable energy option in the Mena region.”
lgraves@thenational.ae
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SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
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Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
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Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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